Refrigerating apparatus



'Sept. 1, 1942. E. 1.. KASTLER REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 20, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet l R O m M yIda/acail. 4223;!

Sept.1, 1942. E. L. KASTLER 2,294,619

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 20, 1940 4 Sh eets-Sheet 2' Sept. 1, 1942.

E, L. KA'STLER REFRIGERAI'ING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 20, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Sept 1, 19 42 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Edward L. Kastler, Racine, Wia, assignmof onehalf to Paul S. Mantonya, Chicago, 111.

Application December 2 0, 1940, Serial No. 371,014

' 8 Claims.

' air and also as a lubricant for the bearings of the machine; an improved cooling system for both the air and water; improved valve mechanism for the compressor and the expander; and in other details of improvement as hereinafter pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention Fig. 1 is a side view of the apparatus, some parts being broken away; 7

Fig. v2 is an end elevation, partly in section;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the machine transverse to the drive shaft, some parts being omitted;

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail of the compressor;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view transverse to the view in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the apparatus, illustrating the water and air systems; and

Figs. 7 to 11 show various details. of the air expanding mechanism.

The invention is here shown in a form especially suited to domestic use, though it is capable of embodiment. in other forms. shown the apparatus is automatic in its action for an indefinite period. e

At l5 there isshown a casing which encloses a water tank It; a crank shaft l1 journale'd in its side walls; and a pumpit for forcing water to the various parts of the apparatus where it is required. From a side wall of the-casing II,

there projects an air compressing cylinder IS, the axis of which is in the plane of but is transverse of the crank shaft ll. From the topof the casing Hi there projects the air chilling cylinder 20, which is also axially in the plane of the shaft ll but transverse thereto. Within the compressor cylinder l9 there reciprocates a piston 2| which is connected with: the two part bearing block 22, on the crank pin of the shaft by a pitman 23, formed integrally with such block member and is shown as connected with the piston 2| by a ball and socket Joint, 24. The pitman 38 associated with the piston of the expander is also connected with the same bearing block 22, such connection being'preferably in the form of a ball and socket joint as shown.

' The head of the piston 2| is ported as shown at 25, 'and'to the face of this head is centrally ports. A stiff valve plate 21 crosses the inner end of the chamber of the cylinder l9 and is seated on a backwardly facing annular shoulder, and is held to this seat by a plurality of spring arms 23 centrally secured to the cylinder head by an adjustable screw bolt 29, locked by a nut 30. The outlet 3| for the compressed air is connected with the inner member 32 of a circular radiator 33, (Figs. 1 and 6) The radiator 33 comprises the inner tubular annulus 32, the outer tubular annulus 34 and the tubular spokes 35 connecting these members andwhich are as numerous as may be, and are of exceedingly small bore.

From the outer member 34 of the radiator 33 the air, now much reduced in temperature, is conveyed by the pipe 36 to the dehydrating chamber 31 which encloses the upper portion of the expanding and chilling cylinder 20, and the discharge nipple, 53, thereof.

Within the cylinder 20 reciprocatesthe imperforate piston 38. which is connected with the bearing block 2-2 by the pitman 39 which pref- As here erably has ball and socket connection with both piston 38 and the block 22.

A chamber 40, formed within the upper portion of the chamber 31 and in communication therewith. receives the now comparatively dry air therefrom and delivers it through-the intake port 4| to the cylinder'20. The port is controlled by a practically noiseless valve 42 (Fig. 7) of plate type. This plate 42 is circulanin form and is loosely carried between the members of three palrsof fingers 43, mounted on posts 44 carried by a yoke shaped support fixed on the upper end of a spring controlled vertically reciprocable rod 45 which extends down, through the bottom of the chamber 31, and is actuated by a cam 46 carried by the shaft ll. A suitable expansion spring, 41, mounted on the rod 45 urges it downwardly to close the valve 42.

The opening in the bottom of the dehydrating chamber to accommodate the rod 45 is utilized .to drain the water of condensation back to the tank IS, the valve rod serving as a valve to retard'the outflow. To this end a rib is formed along the wall of the cylinder 20 from the de- 1 hydrating chamber to the top of the casing 5,

' closed section of the rod thus enclosed of greater diameter than the sections not thus enclosed, and giving the bore of the rib a corresponding secured a spring plate 26 which covers these 5 diameter. The water thus drained from the rod threaded into a longitudinal socket formed in the arm 49. By longitudinal adiustment of the rod 52, the rod 45 is vertically adjusted.

The discharge port 53 of the cylinder 20, which may be suitably connected with any compartment to be cooled, is controlled by a normally closed valve 54 mounted on a stem which extends outwardly through the port 53 and is engaged at its outer end by a rocker arm 55, by which the valve is opened against the resistance of the three arm laminated spring 56 (Figs. 7 and 10) with'which it is connected and which is seated in sockets in the side wall of the cylinder 20 (Fig. 7)

The rocker arm 55 is actuated by a push rod 51, extending down through and guided by the wall of the casing l and carrying at its lower end a roller 58 which rides on a cam 59 on the the compressor. From this jacket the water, now

quite hot, is led by a pipe 63 to the inner circular member 84 of a radiator similar to the one, already described, associated with the air system,

, the two radiators being located on opposite sides of the machine. From the radiator member 54 the water is led through a set of radiating tubes 65 of very small bore, to the outer circular member 66.

From the radiator member 68 the water, now

sufficiently cooled, is led by a pipe 61 to nipples 68, 68a of the journal boxes 59, 59a. enclosing the bearing for ends of the crank shaft ll. This shaft is tubular from end to end, asshown, at 10, the duct extending through the arms and bearing member of its crank. Lateral ports, as H, 12, connect the duct with the various hearing contacts of the shaft, and at the Journal bearing at the far end of the shaft a drainage port 13 communicates with the tank IS. The bearings of the rollers 48 and 58 associated with rods 45 and 51 are adequately lubricated by spray issuing from ports opening through the faces of the cams on which these rollers ride. The pitman 23 is tubular to provide lubricant for its pivotal connection with the piston of the compressor. A port "connects the bearing face of the block 22 with the end of the pitman 38 pivoted thereto, and this pitman is tubular to convey .the lubricant to its pivoted engagement with the piston 38. Lubricant escaping from any of the bearing drains back into the tank l5.

The mechanism described is driven from any suitable source of power, applied as by a belt engaging the drive and balance wheel 15 of the apparatus. This wheel is desirably of considerable size to insure smoothness of action notwithstanding the very material variations inload. As.

access to the mechanism back of the wheel 15 may be necessary. it is important that such wheel be easy of application and removal, and a novel form of securing means is shown. The bore of v the wheel hub is longitudinally slotted for the reception of a key. The end portion of the shaft H, upon which the wheel is mounted, is laterally apertured to provide a seat for and to guide a retaining key H. The bore of the shaft is threaded for engagement by a suitable bolt, as ll, having a tapering end portion, 19, for engaging the key and camming it outward into binding engagement with'the inner face of the hub slot.

A float controlled inlet pipe for water and an over flow drain pipe are preferably provided in.

order to maintain a uniform water level in the tank.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a refrigerating machine using air as a refrigerant, in combination, a mechanical water iacketedair compressor, a mechanical air expander, a tubular power driven crank shaft'for actuating the compressor and expander and having lateral ports. communicating with its bearings, a force pump actuated by the shaft and delivering to the jacket, a conduit connecting the pander, a tubular power driven crank shaft for actuating the compressor and expander and having lateral ports communicating with its bearings, a force pump actuated by the shaft and delivering to the jacket, a conduit comprising a radiator and connecting the jacket with the bore [of the shaft, and passages from such bore to the various shaft bearings.

3. In a refrigerating machine using air as'a refrigerant, in combination, a mechanical water jacketed air compressor, a mechanical air expander, a tubular power driven crank shaft for actuating the compressor and expander and having lateral ports communicating with its bearings, a force pump actuated by the shaft and delivering to the jacket, a conduit formed of a pair of tubes in ring form, each having an attaching nipple, such conduits being connected by a plurality of tubes of fine bore and connecting the jacket with the bore of the shaft, and passages from such bore to the various shaft bearings.

4. In a refrigerating machine using air as a refrigerant, in combination, an air compressor,

. a dehydrating chamber, and an expanding cylinder connected in series, a valve for the intake port of th expanding cylinder, an actuating rod for the valve, and a tube leading'from the dehydrating chamber constituting a drainage outlet therefor and a bearing for the valve rod, whereby the rod is water lubricated.

5. In a refrigerating system using air as a refrigerant, means for driving air through the system comprising a' hollow shaft, bearings for the shaft,'rn'eans for removing water from the air, and means including ported journals on the shaft for conducting said water through the shaft for lubricating said bearings.

6. In a refrigerating system using air as a refrigerant, means for controlling the passage'of air through the system comprising valve means, a drive shaft and operating connections from the shaft to the' valve means, in combination with means for removing water from the air and means refrigerant, in combination, an air compressor,

a dehydrating chamber and an expander connected in series, a common crankshaft driving the compressor and expander, said expander .hav-

ing an intake port, a valve for said port, a water reservoir, a tube connecting the chamber and reservoir for conducting water from the chamber to the reservoir. and an actuating rod for the valve slidabiy mounted in said tube and lubricated by water passing therethrough.

8. In a refrigerating machine using air as a reirigerant, in combinatioman air compressor,

a dehgvdrating chamber and an expander connected in series, a shaft driving the compressor,

a valve controlling the intake to the expander, a water reservoir, a tube connecting the chamber and reservoir for draining the chamber, and an actuating rod for the valve slidabiy mounted in saidtube and lubricated by water passing there'- 3 10 through.

EDWARD L. KASTLER. 

